Christmas is Early in Malaysia This Year – RM100 to Students

Many parents received SMS from their children’s teachers informing them to bring their children to specific locations to collect RM100 which is given by the Government.

Many parents are totally in the dark about this because they could not be contacted as the school holidays have started for secondary schools but this is the last week for primary schools. Also creating major headaches will be the mad rush to schools especially when the SPM and STPM exams are underway.

Can you imagine the chaotic logistics in this disbursement for the school principals?

Then there is the highly suspicious rationale in rushing the disbursement for this week. Why was this done all of a sudden? Did Christmas come earlier this year?

Parents must be present to sign off the voucher and the child must also be present. As no formal instructions were properly given because of the timing and the rush by the Government to make it happen now, parents will not be prepared to bring identification papers be it IC or birth certificate to the schools. Imagine the madness that can happen.

So why the rush? Can it be that this is a last minute push to win the hearts of voting parents before the next General Election possibly to be held In December right after the SPM and STPM exams? If not, surely the disbursement can wait until the new school term in January before Chinese New Year.

Regardless of how parents feel about the Najib Government, nobody is about to “look at the gift horse in the mouth” (disregard a gift). Whatever the reason the RM100 is for, nobody really cares because money is money and any free money is good. Malaysians won’t be swayed in their voting rights regardless how suspicious the motive is. Take the money! Thank you!

Then there is the legality of the disbursement done before the Parliament has passed the Supply Bill. The 2012 Budget is still being debated in Parliament right now. This RM530 million is part of this 2012 Budget tabled by Najib earlier this month. This is the first time the Government is executing the budget while it is being debated and not yet passed. In proper practice, the Budget will be passed after the Parliament votes and the policies will come into enforcement in January 2012. Hence, the budget is a 2012 Budget. Basically, the Najib Government can’t be bothered with Parliament, the processes and the MPs.

Besides the legality issue, now that the Government is executing this item in the 2012 Budget in 2011, where is the Government going to find this RM530 million to give out? It has to come from the remaining unspent or diverted budgets of some ministries and agencies of the current 2011 Budget. Somebody will have less to spend.

Otherwise, Bank Negara will have to print Ringgit following the footsteps of the US Treasury for the US dollar. Otherwise, at a time where there is not enough money to spend and heaps (unknown amount) going into Defense procurement, where else can we find RM530 million?